Brussels, 22/11/2004 (Agence Europe) - On Monday, the Agriculture Ministers of the EU reached political agreement by qualified majority on a proposal to improve transportation conditions for animals being taken for slaughter. The compromise by the Dutch Presidency aims to keep in place for at least six years the current provisions on the two main subjects which divided the Member States (transport times and loading densities), and to improve rules in four fields (inspections and controls, requirements for long-distance transportation, sanctions and exchanges of information, division of responsibilities during transport). Only Denmark voted against (in protest at the fact that the essential questions were sidelined), and Germany, Sweden, Belgium and Luxembourg voted against.
The main improvement to this new legislation refers to the obligation upon all lorries to be fitted with a satellite positioning system (GPS) as of 2009, which will enable the planned route of the lorries to be followed in real time. The text also provides: an improvement to animal comfort (mechanical ventilation, temperature regulation, water reservoirs, better conditions on board ships): - improvements to local transport (driver training, stricter rules on loading, unloading and handling of animals, limited derogations for transport under 50km); stricter checks at stops; -systematic controls upon arrival of the animal at the abattoir; -obligatory control at borders of Member States of documents and state of health of the animals transported. Under the planned "peace clause", the Commission will present a report four years after the regulation enters into force (planned for 2007), possibly accompanied by a proposal to revise the legislation on transport times and loading density.